Press Releases

Feb 11, 2000
Shana Alexander Reads from "The Astonishing Elephant"

Contact:
Darren Johnson
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

As part of its Writers Talk series of readings and lectures, Southampton College of Long Island University hosts Shana Alexander. A noted author, journalist and political commentator, she will read from and talk about her upcoming book on the history of elephants.

Sponsored by Southampton College's MFA in Writing program, the event will be held on Wednesday, February 23, at 8 p.m. in the Duke Lecture Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. For further information call (631) 287-8424. This year's Writers Talk series opened on February 7 with poet Marvin Bell and a packed room.

Alexander began her career as a newspaper reporter and worked her way up to become a top columnist for Life and Newsweek and a commentator on TV's "60 Minutes." Her most recent book, "Happy Days: My Mother, My Father, My Sister & Me" (Doubleday, 1995), tells the story of her childhood with famous parents of the Hollywood Jazz Age - Milton Ager, author of the songs "Ain't She Sweet? and "Happy Days Are Here Again," and screenwriter and Variety Columnist Cecelia Ager.

The author of nine books, Alexander is a Distinguished Author in Southampton College's MFA in Writing program, where she teaches nonfiction writing each fall. Random House will publish her next book, a history called "The Astonishing Elephant," in May.